Legal

This privacy policy sets out how the National Housing Federation uses and protects any information that you give the National Housing Federation when you use this website.

The National Housing Federation is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using this website, then you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.

The National Housing Federation may change this policy from time to time by updating this page. You should check this page from time to time to ensure that you are happy with any changes. This policy is effective from 18 October 2013.

Your information

What we collect

We may collect the following information:

name and job title

contact information including email address

demographic information such as postcode, preferences and interests

other information relevant to customer surveys and/or offers

What we do with the information we gather

We require this information to understand your needs and provide you with a better service, and in particular for the following reasons:

Internal record keeping.

We may use the information to improve our products and services.

We may periodically send promotional emails about new products, special offers or other information which we think you may find interesting using the email address which you have provided.

From time to time, we may also use your information to contact you for market research purposes. We may contact you by email, phone, fax or mail. We may use the information to customise the website according to your interests.

Security

We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure,we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online.

Cookies

Our use of cookies

A cookie is a small file which asks permission to be placed on your computer's hard drive. Once you agree, the file is added and the cookie helps analyse web traffic or lets you know when you visit a particular site. Cookies allow web applications to respond to you as an individual. The web application can tailor its operations to your needs, likes and dislikes by gathering and remembering information about your preferences.

TIMSSCMSAnonymous
(stores your membership information when you log into the website)

Randomly generated number

When user exits the browser

nhf_expiration

Randomly generated number

One year

nhf_flash

Randomly generated number

One day

nhf_last_activity

Randomly generated number

One year

nhf_last_visit

Randomly generated number

One year

nhf_perpage

Randomly generated number

Six months

PHPSESSID

Randomly generated number

When user exits the browser

nhf_sessionid

Randomly generated number

2 hours

nhf_stashid

Randomly generated number

When user exits the browser

nhf_tracker

Randomly generated number

When user exits the browser

Cookies for improving service

We use Google Analytics cookies to identify which pages are being used. This helps us analyse data about web page traffic and improve our website in order to tailor it to customer needs. We only use this information for statistical analysis purposes and then the data is removed from the system.

Google analytics sets the following cookies when you visit our site:

Name

Typical content

Expiry

_utma

Randomly generated number

Two years

_utmb

Randomly generated number

30 minutes

_utmc

Randomly generated number

When user exits the browser

_utmz

Randomly generated number and information on how the site was reached (e.g. directly, via a link, search engine)

About cookies

Overall, cookies help us provide you with a better website, by enabling us to monitor which pages you find useful and which you do not. A cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any information about you, other than the data you choose to share with us.

You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. This may prevent you from taking full advantage of the website.

You can find out more about what internet browser cookies are and how to manage them at the about cookies website.

Links to other websites

Our website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our site, you should note that we do not have any control over that other website. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy statement.

You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.

Controlling your personal information

You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your personal information in the following ways:

whenever you are asked to fill in a form on the website, look for the box that you can click to indicate that you do not want the information to be used by anybody for direct marketing purposes

if you have previously agreed to us using your personal information for direct marketing purposes, you may change your mind at any time by writing to or emailing us at membership@housing.org.uk.

We will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless we have your permission or are required by law to do so. We may use your personal information to send you promotional information about third parties which we think you may find interesting if you tell us that you wish this to happen.

You may request details of personal information which we hold about you under the Data Protection Act 1998. A small fee will be payable. If you would like a copy of the information held on you please write to:

If you believe that any information we are holding on you is incorrect or incomplete, please write to or email us as soon as possible, at the above address. We will promptly correct any information found to be incorrect.

Data Protection and Privacy

1.1 The National Housing Federation recognises that privacy is important to the individual and is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of the users to its website. The National Housing Federation is registered with the Information Commissioner under the Data Protection Act 1998, and committed to protecting individuals’ online privacy.

Because we are committed to an individuals’ privacy, any personal data we may request will be kept confidential, entered into a single membership database and processed in accordance with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998 once it reaches the Federations servers.

1.2 Any personal information provided by an individual to the National Housing Federation, either through registration or use of the website will only be used for the following purposes by the National Housing Federation:

a) updating and enhancing membership records and those of other related National Housing Federation activities;

b) defining areas of interest for the individual by improving the website to meet users’ habits and requirements through the compiling of information relating to their movements across the website;

c) advising individuals of other products and services that may be of interest.

Any personal information received from an individual will be retained by us and not sold, transferred or otherwise disclosed to any third party, unless such disclosure is required by law or other court order. An individual will also have the right to remove themselves from any mailing list at any time.

1.3 Some of the web pages on the site make use of cookies. By registering with this website, an individual is consenting to the terms and conditions herein and to the National Housing Federation processing personal data for the purposes as set out above.

1.4 This data protection and privacy policy statement relates solely to the information provided by an individual on this website. This information includes registration details, any additional information submitted during the course of using the website, and the information gathered by the National Housing Federation whilst tracking an individual’s movements across the website.

1.5 When registering for online services individuals will be requested to enter certain personal information and to choose a password for subsequent access to these services. The services and information available to an individual will be governed by the relationship between the individual and the National Housing Federation.

1.6 This privacy policy is not intended to, and does not create any contractual or other legal rights.

Our privacy policy is compliant with the Data Protection Act 1998 and the National Housing Federation is entered in the Data Protection Register located under http://www.ico.gov.uk/